Show WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINES RAINE'S 1 the COPYRIGHT WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE RAINE SERVICE SYNOPSIS V t Ruth of L C ranch obsessed Ey Ly fear of danger dancer to her outspoken and bullheaded father Lee from a band of lawless rustlers headed by Sherm How How- Howrd rd rd decides to save him by eloping with young Lou Howard Sherm's son son and comes to the town of Tall TaU Holt to meet him While In Yell Sanger's store a n nosed crook crook nosed stranger enters sizes up the situation and when a drunken cowboy Jim rIm Pender rides In and starts shoot I ing protects Ruth while Lou Howard hides I. I J i CHAPTER C APTER I Continued r 2 2 From under the counter where he heay lay ay the storekeeper did not an an- announce announce his Ms presence He had ducked just in time to keep from being seen A nosed crook man with rusty hair stood beside some sacks filled tilled with potatoes Who in Mexico are arc you Sorrel Sorrel- top op demanded Pender Fender Wheres that headed bald galoot Sanger I He lie did not wait walt for an answer In ils his hands was a rifle drawn from its ts place beside the saddle Rais- Rais Raising Raising ing ng it he drummed holes In the tin tin- ware suspended from the walL A four forty had Jumped to the hand of the man beside the potatoes but jut though the weapon covered the drunken fool it was not fired The frightened horse went into the theair theair theair air and as it came down jammed the he riders rider's leg against the counter The animal whirled flung Fender Pender from com om the saddle and dashed wildly out of the store Scrambling to his feet leet the drink crazed man snatched ip p the rifle and followed his mount mountie lIe ie e took a shot at a t the gelding as it went vent racing up the street in a cloud of dust Apparently he had hod forgot forgot- forgotten ten en what wha t he had come to get for he limped across to the ponies cow in front rent of the Golden Nugget selected one mounted and rode away with witha a wild yell Sanger showed cautiously the top of his bald head above the counter Fireworks over drawled the thc nosed crook man and his weapon vanished from tram sight He gave the girl a hand to help her up from where he had flung her You were sure sur right Mr Sanger You know yore rore town It livened up like you Chiswick stood beside him a little faster than usual er ler er checks cheeks still pale The man with whom she was eloping came round the corner of the counter He was carrying a revolver I UI would sure have got that bird If U I hadn't seen he didn't mean busi busi- business business ness Lou Howard vard boasted Ruth looked at him scorn in her eyes The scorn was less for him than han for herself For hours she had been discovering that the man she had chosen was vain shallow and a boaster Now she knew too that hat he lacked courage the one es es- essential essential es- es essential virtue on the frontier for formen foren men en both good and bad Watching him through a knot knot- knothole knothole hole maybe the stranger suggest suggest- suggested ed lazily a hint of derision in his murmured comment Lou turned to Ruth Lets get out of oC here he said sulkily Sang Sanger er is going to send Spicer down to toMa toMa toMa Ma The nosed crook man remembered remembered having seen a sign on the street mentioning that Al Spicer was wasa a Justice of the peace In a low voice Ruth said Id like to speak with you alone Lou Sure he replied On uOn the way down to the hotel hate No At the back of ot the store Her voice was almost a whisper He followed her reluctantly to to- toward toward toward ward the small in boxed office The girl talked fast and low She seemed to be both urging and plead plead- ing An angry oath ripped into her i words Have you gone crazy Howard demanded raising his II voice Think you can make a fool of at me She spoke again ag ln trying to calm him He lie would not listen You cant can't do 0 this crazy thing Youve You've compro compro- compromised compromised compromised Dont Don't you see sec it you you little idiot Folks will talk about you They'll say say say- Ruth nuth began to lose patience Never mind what they'll say Ive I've made up my mind Im I'm going home 1 You got no right to treat me that way Im I'm not going to stand for it it 1 Im sorry but be sensible Lou Be Bc glad Ive I've found out In time He flung Oung a name at her She Sh looked at him for a moment stead stead- steadily fly ily then turned and walked up the store My name is Ruth Chiswick she told the man man with the rusty hair hairIm hairIm hairIm Im much obliged to you for look looking ing after atter me Nothing at all aU Miss Im I'm a stran stran- stranger stranger stranger ger here name here name Jett Gray jLou Lou Howard Joined them and andin andr r P in curtly speaking to Ruth F P- P Pct's ct's et s get out where we can be iilo e a and talk this over The name be he had called her still rang hotly in her heart 7 1 7 Ive nothing more to say to you sir Ir lr she said and again there th re was k v s. the sting of a lash In the low voice I Ruth turned to walk from the store but instead of ot doing so stood rigid her eyes fixed on two men riding down the street To Howard she said over her shoulder better belter light out my father Is here The young man took one look at atthe atthe atthe the dismounting men Maybe I had better to keep from laving trouble with him he faltered He left by the side door The girl did not even notice him go goI goI goI I dont don't see how Father could have found out already ready a she said frowning in thought But that doesn't matter Ill I'll go meet him Gray shook his head That would not do Decent girls could not go into such a place as the Golden Nug Nug- Nugget Nugget Nugget get for any reason He heard him him- himself himself self to his own surprise offering to todo todo todo do her errand He walked across the road into the gambling A big fat Cat shouldered heavy man who was playing solitaire lifted his head bead as Sid and Mile High came into f r a. a l t. t r i 7 l l h hWi Wi 1 Nobody paid any an y attention to the body on the floor the Golden Nugget He beckoned them to him all the about he asked One of ot the men playing poker at atthe atthe atthe the next table leaned back to catch the answer Jim Pender Fender on one of his toots Sid replied Wants to clean up the town again Sherm Sherman Howard frowned down at the table and shifted a queen Hell go Just so far that bird The man at the poker table a tall shouldered broad fellow with black curly hair said significantly Hes here only for Cor a short visit I reckon youre you're Curly agreed Mile High I never liked any of at that puss bully warriors warrior's game He mentioned in a low voice news that might or might not be Important Stranger in our midst Where asked Curly Over at in inon inon inon on a big roan that has been rode far What kind of a guy Inquired Howard Red Tough as they come Wears his gun low Howard made a sign and a man strolled over from Cram the faro table He was a slim hard eyed young fellow sporting a fancy silk sille ban ban- bandanna bandanna bandanna danna tied loosely round his neck The name he went under was Mor Mor- Morgan Morgan gan Norris Nards He lIe was known to be bea a killer Stranger over at Sanger's Morg the solitaire player said Might stroll over and size him up Find out If you can where he comes from what he is doing here h re and how long he aims to stay Into the Golden Nugget walked two men Their entrance created a Q astir astir stir as a breath of wind does docs In a afield afield afield field of grain Out of the corner of his mouth Curly Look who's here Interest In the games momentarily diminished The bar bar- bartender bartender bartender tender stopped polishing a glass To Morgan Norris in a whisper Mile High gave warning Keep yore shirt on Morg Let Sherm make the play The men who had Just walked Into the house gambling had the lie tl e stamp of their calling written on every crease of their dusty clothes on ev ev- every every every ery wrinkle of their weather beaten faces Both were big men who had taken on on the solidity that comes with years Unless his salient shut close Jaw his steady keen blue eyes gave false witness the older man Lee Chiswick was one of dominant will one who would fight for tor his rights His companion and foreman Dan Brand was a barrel fellow of great physical strength On his tanned open face there was the hint of a smile not unfriendly as if III L he offered it to mitigate the hos hos- hostility hostility of his chief A thin satiric smile rested on the face of Sherman Howard He leaned back In his chair opaque eyes fast tast- fastened fastened ened on the older of at the newcomers Nice to have you drop In on us us Lee You dont don't often otten get around Tail Tall Holt way We sure feel hon hon- ored He nodded at the younger man You too Brand Both wel wel- welcome welcome welcome come as the flowers in May Pete take the orders The house is drinking drink- drink drinkIng drinkIng Ing on me I UI dont don't drink with you or any of ot your crowd Howard said Lee Chiswick harshly Im here strict strict- strictly ly for business Through the swing doors a man dropped Into the Golden Nugget He was the stranger who had given his name as Jeff Gray Tail Holt will welcome yore busi busi- business business ness Lee You have always been cash on the head barrel Howard told the cattleman blandly Ignoring ignorIng ignoring ing the insult I 1 came to serve notice that any any- anyone anyone anyone one who steals my stock from Cram now on will do so at his own risk Chis Chis- wick answered bluntly Ive given my men orders to shoot rustlers at sight A tense silence followed the words of the cattleman one pregnant with peril Grays Gray's gaze swept the room Unless rumor lied three fourths of at these men present must be cattle rustlers Instinctively Gray knew that hat hall halla haila a dozen men were waiting wailing for their cue Howard gave It to them For Forthe Forthe Forthe the time at least his decision was for peace fine he said with suave mockery Sooner we get rid of ot scalawags of at that kind the better You can pass the word that any I catch will be hanged to the near near- nearest nearest nearest est live oak Chiswick said flatly Morgan Norris asked a question his ils eyes narrowed his voice low Having anyone particular in mind Mr Chiswick Meaning anyone the shoe fits Howard answered for the cattle cattle- man And I dont don't reckon that is anybody present Morg If It there Is any way we can help Mr Chiswick we will all be glad to do so Am I right boys Suie SuYe youre you're right Sherm agreed Curly Connor heartily If uIt you can use me Mr Chiswick Im I'm much at yore service Dont want your help Chiswick Chis wick flung out bitterly Ill look out for formy formy formy my own stuff and find out whether an honest man has a chance against a pack of thieves What Im I'm here hereto to tell you is that from now on Ill I'll be sheriff judge and hangman on the L C range Dan Brand foreman of the L C outfit poured oil on the roiled wa wa- Dont get us wrong boys Were We're not here to start trouble but butto butto butto to stop it This steal is getting so big the L C has got to bust it up or go broke We dont don't claim we know who is doing this rustling If It we did our job would be easy We dont don't know but we can guess Chiswick Chis wick cut in hardily Out loud Norris asked his hIs' eyes slits of menace The swing doors of at the gambling gambling- hall burst wide open A wild yell brought everybody in the room to attention Excitedly a horse did a nervous dance on the floor Its flushed rider waved a rifle about recklessly Long black hair fell to the mans man's shoulders The chaps were fringed the fancy vest deco deco- rated Way for Wild Jim Fender the drunken man shouted All eyes focused on him Get out of here you fool Curly ordered My night to howll vU howl Pender Fender ex ex- Me uMe Im I'm a wild wolf from the To emphasize the point or else by accident a bullet from his rifle plowed into the ceiling I Half a dozen revolvers roared to- to to to-I to gether Pender Fender pitched from the I saddle like a sack of ot meal He Ho I struck the floor in a crumpled heap rolled over and lay motionless Norris thrust his smoking weapon back into its scabbard and caught the bridle of the rearing horse Someone else ran forward to assist him The two men got the fright fright- frightened frightened frightened ened animal out of at the place Sherman Howard gave a curt or or- der Get the coroner Sid Nobody paid any attention to the body on the floor It was as if U the roar of ot the guns had banished the strained situation the entrance of ot ofFender Pender Fender had interrupted The games were resumed Sounds of at voices the rattle of at chips the spinning of the roulette wheel filled the room Wild Bill Penders Pender's adventure was finished business Jeff Gray took temporary leave of absence He had to explain to a girl probably sick with fear tear that the shooting had nothing to do with her father CHAPTER II The cowboy Sid stood in the door door- doorway way way-of way ot of the store door I Job for you Sanger he said i Fellow bumped off in the Golden Nugget Jeff Gray shouldered past him I toward the white faced girl leaning against the counter Its all right I Miss Chiswick the red headed I Iman man told her cheerfully Nobody hurt but Pender Fender Who was sure shot Into rag dolls Sid added Ruth relaxed limply as the blood poured back into her frozen heart I ul thought I was afraid aCra Id she murmured the words drying in her throat Help me carry this stretcher Sid requested Sanger He was I coroner and undertaker In Tail TailHolt TailHolt I Holt the first of at these positions was wasI I honorary but the other was no sine sine- cure Did you tell my father I am here Ruth asked had a chance yet yet Gray answered The other two men were leaving with the stretcher He con con- continued continued continued lowering his voice Mr Chiswick came to town about some rustling And doesn't know about me I couldn't say What is he he doing in the Golden Nugget Serving notice that he is on the warpath against rustlers The eyes of the girl opened wide To uTa that gang in there Looked to me like some of them were sull cull about it he conceded I Lucky for him Pender Fender picked that I time to cut loose his wolf The boys got the itch finger out of at their systems I reckon its it's going to be beall beall beall I all right r now Howard seems to be bethe bethe I Ithe the big boss and he h is making peace talk Father is so bull headed I Gray asked for Cor information re re- re- re This was none of ot his I business but he had been dragged I into it t This young Howard Howard any any kin to Sherm Howard A flag of color fluttered in her cheeks but the dark eyes held steadily to his Son she said Then sharply Why do you ask If you aim to tell yore father about this little fling maybe you had better get him out of at town first he suggested There was a slurring drawl in his h speech that stirred stirred anger in fn her Clearly he disapproved of ot what she had done She did not hesitate to affront the young men who fluttered around her but she objected to be be- being being being ing made the victim of cool con can tempt TO BE nE CONTINUED |